More on How to Get Rid of Centipedes

INFORMATION

Centipedes in the summer, lay 35 eggs or more in or on the soil. Newly hatched centipedes have four pairs of legs; during subsequent molts, the centipede progressively increases the number of legs until becoming adult. Adults of many species live a year and some as long as five to six years. Larger centipedes can bite. If one is injured, a light swelling may occur. A physician should be consulted if the bite has penetrated the skin. The centipede is beneficial, by eating other insects. Centipedes do not damage food supplies or household furnishings. Most centipedes are active at night. The house centipede is a common pest in many parts of the United States. Unlike other centipedes, this species generally lives its entire life inside a building. In homes, the house centipede will prefer to live in damp areas such as cellars, closets, bathrooms, attics (during the warmer months) and unexcavated areas under the house. Eggs are laid in these same damp places, as well as behind baseboards or beneath bark on firewood.

APPEARANCE

Centipedes are usually brownish, flattened, and elongate animals which have many body segments. Centipedes are flattened, with many different body segments. They have one pair of legs attached to most of these body segments. Centipedes differ from millipedes in that millipedes have two pairs of legs on most segments and bodies which are not flattened.

Centipedes are between 1-6 inches and the House Centipede is 1-1/12 inches. The house centipede is grey-yellow with three stripes down the back and has very long legs banded with white. The largest centipedes are found in the Southwest. The body of this centipede is usually only 1 to 1 1/2 inches long at the most, but it's 15 pairs of legs make it seem much larger.

CENTIPEDE CONTROL

Centipedes can be prevented from gaining entry into buildings by sealing and caulking gaps around siding, windows, doors, pipes, wires and other structural voids. Also, removal of centipedes habitats including trash, rocks, boards, compost piles, and other hiding places around the structure would help reduce the population.

Cyonara 9.7 (Broader label and longer lasting-may be used on ornamentals as well because it will dry invisible. The Cynoff WP or Demon WP leave a visible residual that can be seen against dark wood). Cynoff WP and Demon WP are powders that you can spray long the house as well inside or out. These products sprayed along cracks and crevices, entry points, and baseboards, would discourage centipedes activity. You may also use an aerosol like D-force HPX or; CB Air Devil HPX, sprayed around doors and windows and other places where these pests may enter premises. These products should be applied as a 3- to 10-foot band around the perimeter of the structure, into harborage sites, and/or around potential entry points. Both products will give you long term residual-about 3 months, and is a good spray for all types of surfaces. House Centipedes prefer to live in damp areas like basements, bathrooms, behind baseboards, or attics. House centipedes can be controlled indoors by eliminating their harborage areas where possible and using a vacuum to remove exposed centipedes. Liquid and dust applications can be introduced into wall voids, cracks and crevices along baseboards and into other potential hiding places.

Back to Centipede Control Products Page...

If you want to get more information, click the link below...

How to Get Rid of Centipedes